Cam assembly



July 3,1945. c. xNElbAU'ERffm.I 2,379,771

CAM ASSEMBLY Filed Nav. 1;, 1942.- s'shets-sneet? l IN VEN TOR. CuRr/s IVE/0,4051? A64/a4. A. 00E/4M.'

gm. ATTORNEYS.

JUIIY'3, `1945 I c. WEIDAUER ETAL 2,379,771 l CAM ASSEMBLY Filed Nov, 13, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Caer/.s ivf/0A 0E@ KARL 'A 05H44.

\ ATTORNEYS.

unit.

Patented July 3, 1945 f UNITED STATES@PATENT;,OFFICE f"` 2,379,771" i, y i" y CAM Assiirrenit4 Curtis Weidauer,A Manhasset, `N. Y., andKarl AQ Doehm, West New York, N. J., assignors to Samuel Briskman, New York, Y.` 3 Application November 13, 194.2, Serial No. 46554778 l pzfcigim. ,gci;7474-557)` -The presen-t invention relates to new and useful improvements in cam mechanisms andmore particularly it pertains to a new'` and novel cam assembly. i 1

The invention provides *a novelV construction '7 whereby a` plurality of camsmay be removably mounted upon a shaft thus, rendering any one cam, or any set of camsreadily replaceable by other cams or sets of cams as desired.

The invention also providesa construction by means of which a set of cams, Vincluding vthe shaft upon which they are mounted'may be` so mounted in a machine as to be bodily removable therefrom, as a unit, Without disturbing any of the elements of the cam unit. l i;

The invention also provides a novel construction whereby two or more cam `units may be operatively .connected together and simu1tane ously drivenimerely by driving onefofthe `cam units. i i `The construction has particular advantage for use in` connection with automaticmachines i, of the type illustrated in our co-pending application, filed November 27, 1941, `for Automatic inachine, Serial No. 420,660, in which a `plurality of tools are moved into engagement With the work operated i, upon by a mechanism controllediby cams, there being a controlcam foreach of the tools. i r

In such amachine, as the type of work toibe accomplished thereby, varies, theioperation of the tools varies and obviously the control camsof thetools will alsovary. l

'I'he present invention provides control cams in the form of cam units which may be 'removed a's such'and stored for future use. t i

, Furthermore, the invention provides a novel construction whereby individual cams of acam unitA may be i removed and replaced at Wi1l',-.by other cams. Y 1' Throughout the following specification and claims, the terms cam assembly and camwunits have been employed and it is to .be understood that the former, `has been used to Vdescribe `two or more cam units, While the latter term hasabeen` applied to several cams and the component parts which are collectively united.` to formfthecain In the accompanying drawings, `th'ereA isfillus` trated a` cam assemblyof the type illustratedin our co-pending application,` above `mentioned`,l`no

Il the purpose of which will be. hereinafter "described.

illustration, however, being givenof any type of mechanism to be operated by the cams.

lnisaiddrawings;` j "i .t `f1.1 Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View partly inf eievationiiiusirating the construction 0f one of the cam units constructed in accordance With the present invention, i C Figure 2 is*` a longitudinal sectional view illustrating .a cam `unit similar to the one illustrated inFigureLarid;` i i i si i i Figure 3 is a fragmentaryview partly insec` tion and partly in elevation'illustrating a driv-` ing coupling member bymeans of which two cam units of the type illustrated in Figuresland 2 may be operatively connected' together to drive one from theother. l' Since theycamfunits illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are of substantially the same construction, differing only` in the mannerin whichitheyare driven and `thez positions in which they are mounted, it is believeditha` aspecic description operatively connectedyto ,a suitabledriving 'element, 1 V

"I fhe shaft ,I Il has a shoulder at oneend thereof which'sh'oulder `is preferably` 'formed by a .flange which :has agplurality of openings I8th`erein,

In that land of the shaft'w upon whiciith aange n is formedytnereis anr'axiauy disposed tapered recess i I 9V and upon its" opposite end, the shaft I0 `has asimilar-recess 2li;V The shaft IU is also-provided `with akey way` 2'I` andan externally threaded end portion 22 for the reception ofanut23.v I m i i C The several cams may have nany desired contour depending upon, the mechanismsgto be opinechanisms are designed to perform.- i

`In .theV presentV embodiment of the `invention the severalcams areillustrated as operating piv-I etal `levers; ,2 4, inthejsame manner as f in i our applicationjheretofore` referred to. i, i i Bach-of the camsis provided With` anxopenme g5 OI l'fcption" of. the shaft Ill, therebyto provide for mounting thecams .upon the shaft erated `thereby-and the operation which said and eachI cam is `also provided with a key receiv-` whichicns'truction provides an operative con-` nection between ea'ch of the cams and said shaft. The cam `Il "is herein illustrated as abutting the shouider `rennesty the flange I7 and interoperatively connected to the ,shaft I by the key 21. K

Interposed between the cam I2 an'd the cam I3, there is a spacing ring 29 and similar spacing rings and 3I are interposed respectively between the cams I3 and I4 and the cams lI4` and I5, and each of said spacing rings is operatively connected to the' shaft I6 by the key 21. The driving ring I6 abuts the outer face of the cam I5 and it is provided with a notch or recess 32 for the reception of the end portion'r';

of the key 21 to provide an operative driving connection between the driving ringr and the vided with a plurality of spaced clutch `teeth or n the like 33, by means of which it maybe operatively connected to a driving element in 'ai manner to be hereinafter specifically described.

, The nut 23, `heretofore 'mentionedv when threaded upon the threaded portion 22 `ofthe shaft I0, is received within a recess 34 in the driving ring` I6 and when turned homeserves to clamp the several cams, spacing rings and the driving ring between itself and the shoulder formed by the flange I1,4 thus providing the unitary structure hereinafter referred to as the cam unit.

-A screw 35 is threaded through the nut 23 and its inner end engages the-driving ring I6 as at 36 thus serving to'prevent accidental loosening of the said nut 23.

The cam II and the'spacing ring' 28 are interconnected by means of a pin 38, one end of which is received in an opening 39 in the cam, while the other end of the pin 38 extends into an opening 4 0 in the spacing ring .28. Similarly, the cams I2 and I3, are interconnected respectively with the spacing rings29 and l36 by pins 4I and 42. f

The cam I4 is interconnected with the spacing ring 3|, the cam I5 and the driving ring I6, by means of a pin 43. This pin 43 has one of its ends positioned in an opening 44 in the cam I 4, its opposite end, which .is tapered being vre- CeiVed in a` tapered recess 41 lin the driving ring I6, withits .intermediate body portion occupy- -ing positions in openings 45 and 46 respectively in the spacing ring 3| ,and the cam I5.

The spacing ring 3I,.the cam rI5 and the driving ring I6 arealso interconnected by a pin 48, one end of which is received in anopening 49 in the. spacing ring 3|. This pinextends through an opening in the cam I5 and has a tapered en'd 52 which is received in a tapered recess 5| in the driving ring I6.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the invention as thus far described 44provides a cam assembly which in 'itself comprises a'rigid unit in which a plurality of cams maybe so associated with one anotheras to permit of their being removed either for rearrangement or replacement by other 'cams as desired. Furthermore, the construction provides a `cam assembly which may be maintained as a unit if desired.`

-I-Iavingthus described the construction of the cam unit, one manner in which .it may be mounted for operation will now be described.

The reference characters 6D and 5I designate two bearings in which the earn unit is supported in operative position. These bearings maybe carried `by standards, hangers such as designatedl l 63there is a cross pin 68 which has a flattened intermediate portion 69, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The'reference character 10 designates a shaft f which is adapted to extend into the hollow shaft ,'63, the .-outer' end of this shaft being supported in a bearing 1I in a bracket orarm 12, fixed with respect to the bearing support 62. Near its outery end, this shaft 10 has an annular groove 13 for the reception of the innerend of a screw 14, thus to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft 16. Also adjacent to its outer end, the shaft 10 is provided with a threaded portion-'15 and threaded thereon, there is a hand wheel 16. A slot 11 is formed in the inner endof the shaft 10 which slot receives the attened portion 69 of the cross pin 68 thereby to provide an oper- 30 ative driving connection between the hollow shaft 63 andthe shaft 10.

l In Figure 2 of the drawings, the pins 65 are shown as `being withdrawn with respect to the openings I8. It Will be Obvious,A however, that v35 upon turning the hand wheel 16 inthe proper direction to move -it towards the right in said figure, in such movement, the hand wheel will engage-,the outer end of `the hollowshaft 6.3 and move rsaid shaft towards the right in said figure, 40 thus moving the pins 65 into the openings I8 of thev flange I1 ofthe shaft I l! and the tapered end 61. of the plug-like member 66 into the end recess I9 yof the shaft I0.

. The reference character designates a shaft v4.5 which has` ahollow head portion 8 I, which latter has acplurality `of Vclutch teeth 82 adapted for interlocking engagement with the clutch teeth 33 of the driving ring I6.

This shaft constitutes the driving element heretofore. referred toand `is rotatably mounted in the. bearing 6I.

Upon itsinnerend,` it carriesLapluglikemeL ber 83 which has a protruding taperedend portionxunfor `reception `in .the end recess `260i the .55 shaft 1I0.- ...Upon its-outer end,this sha'fthasa worm gear keyed thereto and which is adapted to-"be driven by'a worm'il` keyed lto-ay shaft `I81 which maybe .driven in any desired mannen.

.From the iforegoing, it will be apparenti that 6.0 the cam unit is supported in operative position by thei-plug-.like members 66 -and :83 ofthe shafts 63fand `8l) respectively, .when the several parts are `inthe `positions lin which .they .are illustrated in :fulllinessin :Figure land thatfthe 'cam unit may be; .bodilyv removed as such :from lits `supports when` the several :parts vare inthe positions .in whichv they are iillustratedin Figure 2. It will also be obvious that when the cam unit is mounted, `:in `its Soperative position, operation of thetdriving :member will,"through the medium of :thefinterengagedclutch teeth :834 and82, effect a, rotation. of.` .thefentre'unit in the bearings 60 and 6I.

In Figure 3 nthere is illustrated'airodifiedirofm -UExtending radially through the hollow shaft mounted in alinement with each other and operatively connected together in such a. manner that one of the cam units is driven by the other.

Referring to said Figure 3, it will be noted that the cam unit at the left of said figure, has been turned end for end, as` compared to its position in Figure 2, the flangeI'I of the shaft I9, and

the head 64 of the hollow shaft 63 being positionedto the right.

In said Figure 3,ithe reference character 90 designates` a bearing support in which is mounted a bearing 92.

In this form of the invention, the arm or bracket I2 is dispensed with and in lieu of the shaft 'I0 illustrated in Figure 2, a shaft 93` is ernployed, said shaft being mounted in the bearings 60 and 92.

tion by means of which a cam assembly may be bodily removed, as acomplete unit,4 from its op-` erative position in a machineand it further provides constructions by which two or more `cam units may ibe operatively connected together for operation by a single driving element.

The invention has been herein illustrated and described in its preferred formsbut it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the specific constructions herein set forth and that it may be embodied in other formswithin the scop a of the appended claims.

'Ihe shaft 93 has an extension 94, slotted Vas at 95 to receive the iiattened portion 69 of the cross` The hand wheels |00 and IUI are adapted to engage the outer ends of their respective hollow shafts 63 to move said shafts to position, to cause the pins 65 carried by their heads 64 to engage in the openings I8 in the flanges I 'I of their respective shafts I0.

By reference to Figure l, it will be noted that in lieu of the shaft 80 illustrated in Figure: 2, a hollow shaft I I0 has ibeen substituted. This shaft has a, recessed head portion I I I which is provided with clutch teeth II2 for engagement with the clutch teeth 33 of the driving ring I6, which, however, in this position, does not function as a driving ring.

The hollow shaft IID is mounted in a bearing `IIB mounted in a suitable bearing support II4,

and it also 4has a plug-like member II5 having la tapered portion II6 for reception in the end Having thus `described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A cam unit comprising in combination, a shaft having a flange at one end, a plurality of cams removably mounted upon the shaft in spaced relation to one another, spacing rings removably mounted upon the shaft in interposed relation to the cams to maintain the spaced relation thereof, a driving ring mounted upon the shaft between one of the cams and the end of the shaft opposite to the end which has the flange, meansfor operatively connecting the cams, the `spacing rings, and the driving ring to the shaft, means for operatively connecting i the driving ring to the two cams next adjacent `thereto `and to the spacing ring interposed bei 4 tween saidcams, separate means for operatively ring, and means cooperating with said fiange for connecting the driving ring with` the cam next adjacent thereto and said last mentioned spacing securing the cams, spacing rings and driving ring in position upon `the shaft. I

2. A cam unit comprising in combination, a shaft having a rigid abutment shoulder at one the shaft, a plurality of cams removably mounted `upon the shaft in spaced relation to one another,

spacing rings removably mounted upon the shaft in interposed relation with the cams to maintain the spaced relation thereof, a driving ring removably mounted upon the shaft between one of the cams and the threaded section of the shaft` means for operatively connecting the cams, the spacing rings and the driving ring to the shaft,

means` for operatively connecting together the the present invention provides a construction by The present invention also provides a, construe` cams, the spacing rings and the driving ring, and a nut threaded upon the threaded section of the shaft for clamping the cams, spacing ring and driving ring against the rigid abutment shoulder atthe opposite end of the shaft toform a unitarystructure and maintain the operative connection between the cams, the spacing rings` and the driving ring. a CURTIS WEDDAUER. KARL DOEHM. 

